Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!caip!lll-crg!lll-lcc!pyramid!voder!kontron!cramer
From: cramer@kontron.UUCP (Clayton Cramer)
Newsgroups: net.misc
Subject: Re: humanity
Message-ID: <1111@kontron.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 6-Oct-86 13:49:01 EDT
Article-I.D.: kontron.1111
Posted: Mon Oct  6 13:49:01 1986
Date-Received: Thu, 9-Oct-86 00:07:30 EDT
References: <910@gilbbs.UUCP> <975@hou2g.UUCP> <1033@gilbbs.UUCP>
Distribution: net
Organization: Kontron Electronics, Mt. View, CA
Lines: 29

> "All money and no heart makes Jack a libertarian."

The assumptions here are fascinating:

1. That libertarians are unwilling to provide assistance to people genuinely
in need.

Most libertarians I know are involved in substantial humanitarian aid 
activities, both the tax deductible sort, and the assistance that doesn't
qualify for any sort of tax deduction, and is therefore much more expensive.

2. That assisting someone in need is always the best thing that can be done
for that person.

There are people who are CAPABLE of working, but choose not, sometimes
out of sheer laziness, sometimes because of self-pity or depression.  In
both cases, a little hunger can do wonders to encourage more responsible
behavior.

3. That opposition to government redistributing income is the same as 
opposition to voluntary income redistribution.

The way that government redistributes income tends to assist a lot of
people -- many of whom are not poor by any definition.  We object to
coercive redistribution of income for the same reason we object to
the draft -- if it's really such a good idea, and it really has majority
support, you don't need to force it.

Clayton E. Cramer